Dyckia marnier-lapostollei (White Dyckia) This very slow growing succulent has mostly solitary stemless rosettes to 6 to 10 inches wide with up to 10, but usually fewer, triangular-shaped 4 to 8 inch long gray-green leaves that are covered in silvery white scale-like hairs (trichomes) so that the plant looks almost completely white. These leaves twist and curl as they recurve downward and have large claw-like recurved spines along the margins. Mature plants can send up a spike 2 to 3 feet tall in summer with orange-yellow tubular flowers scattered near the tip - these flowers have extra floral nectarines that drip sticky nectar to attract birds. Plant in a well-drained soil in full coastal sun to light shade - leaf ends shrivel in excess heat. Give regular irrigation when plants dry from spring to summer and withhold water in winter. Protect from cold temperatures - intolerant of temperatures near freezing and much happier when temperatures are well above this. A protected under-eave location or bright covered patio is a great place to keep this plant outdoors in our winter rainfall climate - otherwise figure on bringing it in for the winter. This plant from the highlands of central Brazil was named for Julien Marnier-Lapostolle, of the Grand Marnier liqueur fame, who owned the Jardin botanique Les Cèdres where the first plant of the species was known to flower in 1960. It was widely reported that Marnier-Lapostolle had himself discovered it in Brazil but this is incorrect. Marnier-Lapostolle did bring the plant to the attention of American Bromeliad specialist Lyman Smith who recognized it as a new species. Smith named it for Marnier-Lapostolle in 1966 and included a location for the type plant in the US National Herbarium as "growing in Diamantina (8 km from Belo Horizonte) Minas Gerais, Brazil", a location that was confusing as Diamantina and Belo Horizonte were actually 300 km apart. It was not until 1983 when Leopold Horst and Pierra Braun, while botanizing in central Brazil, documented the location of plants in habitat, which they found in the Serra dos Cristais near the city of Cristalina in Goias, Brazil. Another population near the city of Goiania was also discovered. Our plants are from years of dividing plants originally received from plant collector Alice Waidhofer of Stockton. There is an excellent article on this species titled "Succulent and Xeromorphic Bromeliads of Brazil Part 1" by Pierre J. Braun and Eddie Estves Pereira in the Cactus and Succulent Journal; 77(6):284-292. 2005.
This description is based on research and observations made of this plant as it grows in our nursery, in our nursery garden and in other gardens that we have visited. We also try to incorporate comments received from others and appreciate getting feedback of any kind from those who have any additional information about this plant, particularly if they disagree with what we have written or if they have additional cultural tips that would aid others in growing Dyckia marnier-lapostollei.